My Scholarly Talk on Terrorism

I’ve been asked to give a scholarly talk, a lecture among intelligentsia. I giggle and laugh nervously to myself as I read the e-mail invitation. It’s a rather specialized topic, comparing ancient terrorism and propaganda with modern-day attempts at the same.

Really not that unusual at all. This remains the cheapest way to wage war.

I gather my illustrative images, photos and drawings of wall reliefs from excavated Neo-Assyrian palaces of long ago. You know, the usual flaying alive, leading prisoners around by nose-leashes, and heaps of severed heads outside ancient city walls.

Apparently, the more time passes, the more history repeats itself.

However, the Neo-Assyrians knew how to build an empire and utilized the the pattern of raze, resettle and rebuild to fuel their expansionism. The archaeological and historical records tell us so. And sadly, groups such as ISIS have no rebuilding nor culture to proffer.

Which just goes to show us: violence alone does not a caliphate build.